


tallies

by handsomehats



Category: Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Soulmate AU, Soulmate-Identifying Marks, Soulmates
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-16
Updated: 2017-08-16
Packaged: 2018-12-16 00:54:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,445
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11817819
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/handsomehats/pseuds/handsomehats
Summary: Red tallies appear for every person you’ve loved, black for every person you’ve loved that has died, and a white tally for when you meet your soulmatePeter gains his first tallies sooner than most kids would. However he didn't expect to have them all by his first day of decathlon practice his sophomore year.





	tallies

Red tallies appear for every person you’ve loved, black for every person you’ve loved that has died, and a white tally for when you meet your soulmate

 

The first two appeared when he was four. Two black lines on his arm as dark as the suit he wore to the funeral. The flowers scattered around two caskets were so beautiful compared to the mess the of a boy standing in the middle. Peter’s world had been shattered in a small frame of time. How could something so depressing and awful happen to a child?

A set of adults came over and stood on either side of him. After a few more moments in silence his uncle grabbed his hand and with a sorrowful look on his face. “Peter it’s time to go home now.” Peter wasn’t ready to leave behind the people he called home. 

\---

Two red tallies appeared sometime after. It took Peter a while for him to get his groove back. He was still just a boy, trying to make it through another day of school. He finally was falling back into a routine. He still had anxiety and panic attacks. Some were worse than others. One particular night he awoke from a night terror, sweating, shaking, and feeling paralyzed. He couldn’t breathe. He gained feeling in his arm and tried to turn on his lamp on his bedside table, but in the process he knocked over his alarm clock. The sound gained attention from his aunt and uncle. They opened the door quickly and saw his scared face still partially under the covers. 

His Aunt May immediately went to his bed holding him. His Uncle Ben was close behind sitting on the floor beside his bed. Both adults were fairly familiar with the scene unfolding but it always gave them a scare each time it happened. May was whispering words of comfort and rocked him while Ben grabbed his hand and squeezed it. He started to calm down and regained control of his breathing. He was just a scared kid, but knew everything was going to be fine with his Aunt and Uncle around. Of course he had always loved his family and he knew they loved him. But he in that moment he realized he had people to protect him from the terrors of the world because of that he might be able to sleep easy once again.

\---

A solid white line appeared in his sophomore year of high school. This added a light appearance to his heavy three black lines and one red line, the only red left. The white line came at quite an odd time. It was his first day of decathlon practice. 

“Mr. Parker! I’m glad you took my suggestion and joined the team.” Peter gave his teacher, Mr. Harrison, a smile in response and went to sit next to Ned. He knew decathlon was lame but Ned begged him to join, plus he was pretty smart. Might as well use his knowledge. 

He and Ned were talking about Star Wars as the team members came strolling in. He knew a few people like Flash since they had Physics together and Betty since Ned had mentioned her before. But some unfamiliar faces showed up. 

“Ned, looks like you finally made a friend but it seems he’s a loser too.” A girl with wild untamed hair and a book in her hand mumbled to Ned as she walked past. 

“Just because we like Star Wars shouldn’t automatically make us nerds.” Ned retorted back but the mysterious girl had already walked away. 

“That may not make you a nerd but being on the decathlon team does, now stop chatting we are starting drills.” The new girl who was very pretty directed her attention to Peter. “Hi, you must be Peter! I’m Liz, the team captain. That girl reading the book over there is Michelle. Don’t worry about her she’s probably the coolest people here. Anyway I’m sure you’ll have no problem jumping right in with these drills so take a seat and we’ll get you a buzzer. ” 

The white line surprisingly didn’t make him nervous at all. Although it didn’t help fight his crush on Liz. He had it bad. A classic case of puppy love. She was his first real crush that mattered. The white line was always in the back of his mind and he definitely was hoping she was his soulmate, even if he trying repress that thought. 

 

Months had passed. Liz moved to Oregon. The white line had made him increasingly more nervous with her gone. What if she was the one? Now she isn’t here what was he supposed to do? 

“Hey loser what’s wrong with your face?” MJ’s voice sounded like the late bell, loud and startling.

“What? Oh yeah I ran into my door this morning. I was uh-I wasn’t awake enough to realise where I was going. Sometimes I’m really clumsy.” Peter half-heartily laughed pointing at the healing wound above his eyebrow, fully knowing he was over explaining his lie. Obviously it was from one of his nightly patrols as the all friendly neighborhood Spider-Man. 

“No I mean your expression. It’s a crisis face. I should know I draw coach’s all the time.” She nonchalantly explains. Peter smiles, of course she does. 

“Oh, I guess I have a lot on my mind.”

“Like hiding your secret double life?” Michelle asked with a nonchalant look on her face. 

“What- you knew? Actually of course you knew you’re the smartest girl I’ve ever met.” Peter is surprised she knew but not as surprised he is about the slight blush on her face. MJ has become one of his best friends these past few months. Hiding his red and blue spandex clad self has been very difficult. 

“Well you and Ned aren’t great at keeping secrets. Practically shouting at the lunch table.”

“Wait we never talk about it at lunch since you sit right across from us.”

“Yeah I figured out before we became friends. I’ve known for sure since homecoming. Spidey in DC was suspicious but Liz’s dad being arrested the night of homecoming and you not being there? Yeah it was pretty obvious at that point.” MJ paused to gauge his expression, not only for bringing up homecoming but for also bringing up Liz. “Frankly I’m more surprised that the whole school hasn’t found out yet.”

“Well I guess Ned and I don’t have to hide it from you anymore. It really sucked lying to you, MJ. You’re one of my best friends, I just didn’t want anything bad to happen to you. No one was supposed to know but Ned and May found out by accident.” Peter felt the need to explain his reasoning to MJ. She was so important in his life and for reason he couldn’t stand her being mad him.

MJ smiled at Peter. “Hey, it’s okay.” MJ put a hand on his arm. “Besides I at least don’t have to put up with your shitty excuses.”

Peter looked up at Michelle. For her lack of social interactions she really knew how to make someone feel better, and if Peter was being honest MJ’s presence always made him feel better. 

 

Peter thought about his white line from time to time wondering if he was wrong. It couldn’t have been for Liz. But it didn’t sink in until he didn’t think twice about asking MJ to prom. And he wasn’t sure she was his until she was helping him recovering from fighting as his superhero alter ego. She was wearing a tank top and was holding Peter’s hands to stop him from freezing (although he was fairly sure she just wanted to touch him) and he noticed her arm. A white line. 

“When did you get that?” Peter bluntly asked.

“Wha-Oh at a decathlon practice.” She shook her head as if it wasn’t important.

“Me too. Was it my first practice?” Peter knew he was being really direct and he didn’t know how willing she would be about giving up such information but he had to ask. He had to know his feelings weren’t for nothing. 

“I...I don’t quite remember, it was a while ago.” Michelle looked down at their hands, stuttering. She looked uncomfortable but was holding some words back.

“Michelle?” Hearing Peter use her full name instead of MJ caused her to look up at him with a curious look on his face. 

“Can I kiss you?” 

MJ’s face blanked, then smiled and nodded. Peter forgot about all the other tallies on his arm and focused on the girl who was his white tally. His soulmate.

**Author's Note:**

> Hey guys! This is my first fic ever on here. I used to write on wattpad a long time ago for a entirely different fandom but I fell in love with Michelle and Peter and had to write something. I love soulmate AU's and found this prompt and thought it worked well. Anyway feel free to leave comments and I'm sorry if any of my facts are wrong. I'm lowkey a fake marvel fan since I've only since about 5 marvel movies total but I hope I did this fandom justice! I may or may not be writing more for this fandom but I'll definitely be reading the stories! 
> 
> Thanks for reading again!


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